Kochos hanefesh

The soul's sephirot expressions and their inner Soul Powers, while psychologically felt from the revealed conscious level of Chochmah downward, are only revealed outwardly through their enclothement in the three Levushim-"garments" of the soul: Machshavah-Thought, Dibbur-Speech and Maaseh-Action. As the sephirot are all inter-included as sub-categories within each other, Chochmah, Binah and Daat (the Mochin-Intellects), are enclothed in Thought as a soul to a body. Similarly, the emotional sephirot of Chesed to Malchut (the Middot-Emotions), are revealed through Malchut in Speech and Action.

In Kabbalah and Hasidism, the soul has five levels, whose names derive from five Midrashic terms for the soul. Consequently, the generic Hasidic adjective "Kochos HaNefesh"-Powers of the Soul accurately relate more specifically to different levels amongst the five soul levels. The five levels in Kabbalah correspond to the Sephirot:

• Yechidah-Singular Etzem-essence of soul is expressed through transcendent Keter-Crown
• Chayah-Living transcendent soul is expressed through encompassing Chochmah-Wisdom that mediates between unconscious Keter and the first conscious, unlimited revelation of insight
• Neshamah-Soul first invested soul level expresses Binah-Understanding, the developed intellectual faculties
• Ruach-Spirit emotional level of invested soul expresses Chesed-Kindness to Yesod-Foundation, the emotional faculties (in Lurianic Parzufim of Kabbalah these form one unit, as do each of the five corresponding levels in the Sephirot)
• Nefesh-Lifeforce enlivening invested soul in the body expresses Malchut-Kingship, the resulting revelation into action of all higher levels, faculties and powers of the soul

The nature of the Essential Soul Powers becomes revealed in Mesirat Nefesh-Self Sacrifice. In Jewish law self sacrifice connotes particular circumstances that require giving up one's life rather than transgress rare prohibitions. In Hasidism, "Mesirat Nefesh" here connotes a different definition of daily spiritual devotion beyond the call of ordinary Jewish observance, rather than Halachic martydom of life. Such devoted, transcendent exertion in fulfilling a mitzvah beyond ordinary requirements, is centrally stressed in Hasidic thought. In the classic Rabbinic (Ethics of the Fathers) the traditional Jewish honorific "Hasid" (pious), which was later adopted by the modern Hasidic movement, is characterised as a person who goes beyond the letter of the law. In Hasidic mysticism, the inspiration of deveikut cleaving to God seeks expression in such added devotional conduct. This reveals the essential soul, above intellect, because logical rationalisations to limit oneself to regular requirements are transcended.

One classic, traditional division in Judaism of the 613 Mitzvot observances is into three groups:

• Hukim-Statutes that transcend human logical reason, but observed as decrees of the King. These include the ritual commandments of Kosher food, and the paradigmatic Red Heifer, considered the ultimate example of Hok. In Kabbalah, metaphysical explanations for the Hukim are given, such as the redemption of sparks of holiness in food, however, the categorisation of kosher and non-kosher species for this purpose, while often symbolic, still remains ultimately decreed
• Eidos-Witnesses that would have no prior human requirement, but are given by God as remembrances of historical events in Israelite spiritual history. This commemoration enables ethical self transformation through re-ennacting the formative Jewish events. These include the rituals of Passover to commemorate the spiritual journey out of Egypt, and Tefillin to inculcate awareness of God's unity into the mind and heart. In Kabbalah, too, metaphysical reasons are given
• Mishpatim-Judgements ethical codes that any human society could enact. These include prohibitions in the Ten Commandments. In esoteric Kabbalah, they have deeper meanings also, but these deepen the simple meaning. Mishpatim raise the classic question of why they need to be codified if they are logical, to which the Talmud includes the reason that Mitzvot fulfilled under obligation are higher than Mitzvot chosen voluntarily. This answer is developed in Jewish mysticism, that only a command of the King could connect finite Man with the Infinite Ein Sof. Through the commandment, holiness can descend and physicality can rise, the ethical choice becoming a holy act.

Talmudic, Midrashic, Philosophical and Kabbalistic thought give their own, particular reasons for Mitzvot, according to their level of explanation in the four-fold Pardes system of explanation. Hasidic thought can involve extensive treatment of Kabbalah, while drawing in the other levels of explanation. In its treatment of Kabbalistic reasons for the Mitzvot,[2] Hasidism deepens and elucidates the Kabbalistic texts through human analogies and psychological correspondences in man's experience. However, within its thought, Hasidism extols an ultimate advantage of Hukim as an aspect in all three categories of Mitzvot. The Baal Shem Tov related the Hebrew word Mitzvah-commandment to the Aramaic Tzavsah-connection. The advantage of Hukim is the transcendent bond above intellect they engender. Similarly, Eidos and Mishpatim are permeated with Divinity through being followed ultimately because they are decrees of the King. Their difference lies in God's desire that they should also descend into human intellect, the advantage they possess that the Divine decree within them can also, and becomes deepened, by uniting more fully with the mind.